


I'll Warm You Up

by yami (blind_man_sun)



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures - Various Authors
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 16:14:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2514005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blind_man_sun/pseuds/yami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was too tired to realize that what he was doing could be construed at cuddling, something he’d probably be very embarrassed about if he were fully awake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Warm You Up

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate ending for 'Time Zero' because they need a break, darn it!

Everything had quieted down. The Doctor has been all set to go rushing off after Sabbath, but Anji had pointed out that they all needed – and deserved, she’d added with a glare at the Doctor - a break. The Doctor had acquiesced and at the moment they were floating in space. Anji had then wandered off to take a bath, leaving Fitz alone with the Doctor. He yawned, suddenly bone tired now that the adrenaline had worn off. “I’m beat,” he muttered to the Doctor. “I think-oof!”

Fitz suddenly found it very hard to speak, seeing as the Doctor had enveloped him in a crushing hug. “Doctor,” Fitz gasped out, “I can’t breathe.”

“Sorry.” The Doctor loosened his grip slightly but still kept a tight hold on him, pressing his face into Fitz’s shirt. “It’s just… I’m glad you’re back.”

“Yeah, I am too,” Fitz said awkwardly, trying to ignore the tickle of the Doctor’s curls beneath his chin. “Thanks again for the whole, uh, wishing me back to life thing.” To be honest, he had no idea how that had worked, but he was grateful nonetheless.

“Mm.” The Doctor made a vague noise but didn’t move. Fitz felt kind of ridiculous just standing there with his arms at his sides and considered returning the Doctor’s embrace, but was a bit afraid that any movement on his part would cause the Doctor to squeeze harder and crack his ribs.

He caught a glimpse of Anji passing by in once of the arches and mouthed ‘help me’ in her direction. Anji just smiled and shook her head, disappearing down the hallway. Fitz glowered after her, jumping slightly when the Doctor spoke again.

“I thought I’d lost you,” he said quietly. Fitz had to strain to catch his words. “I was- I was scared.” His voice cracked and Fitz blinked, alarmed.

“Are you…are you crying?”

“Yes,” the Doctor said honestly, finally looking up. There were tears in his bright blue eyes and Fitz swallowed. He’d never seen the Doctor cry before, not really. Especially not over a layabout like him.

“Don’t- don’t cry,” Fitz said, panicking slightly. “I’m not worth it.” The Doctor’s eyes flashed.

“Don’t say that.” There was a fierceness in his voice that made Fitz shiver. “Don’t ever say that. Are you still cold?” The sudden change in topic threw Fitz off and he had to scramble mentally for a bit.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “It feels like I can’t bloody warm up. Being frozen in ice for a century will do that to you.” 

“I’ll make you tea.” The Doctor released him abruptly and stepped back, smiling. All traces of his earlier sadness were gone, replaced with the usual cheerful persona. “I want you in something warm. Not,” he pointed a stern finger at Fitz, “your jacket. Leather is terrible at insulation.” Fitz raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Okay, okay,” he said, grinning. “Make the kind I like, would you?”

“Of course.” The Doctor sounded affronted and Fitz shook his head, smiling as he headed off towards the wardrobe room.

-

Fitz wandered into the kitchen about twenty minutes later, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants. The hoodie was too big and hung off his thin frame but the outfit was, the Doctor decided as he eyed his friend, acceptable overall. He sat down at the table and the Doctor joined him a moment later, setting a cup in front of him. 

“Thanks.” Fitz took it and glanced at the Doctor. “Don’t you want any?” The Doctor shook his head.

“No at the moment, no.” Fitz shrugged and took a sip, then cursed as he burned his tongue.

“Ouch!”

“Fitz!” The Doctor admonished. “Of course it’s hot. You should know that.”

“Sorry.” Fitz rubbed at his eyes and sighed. “I’m tired. I need a shower and a shave and sleep.” He blew on the tea and took another sip, more cautiously this time. The Doctor regarded the morose look on his face with a mixture of amusement and distress.

“Fitz…”

“Hmm?” Fitz looked up at him with sleepy gray eyes. His hair was a tousled mess, he noticed. A sudden rush of affection welled up inside the Doctor, surprising him with the force of its intensity.

“Nothing.” He leaned forward and planted a kiss on Fitz’s forehead, causing him to flush slightly. “You do that.”

-

Fitz found the Doctor standing outside his room with a truly alarming number of blankets in his arms. “Have you been standing there the entire time I was in the shower?” he demanded, brushing wet hair out of his face. The Doctor looked slightly sheepish.

“Maybe.” Fitz rolled his eyes.

“You do realize that’s way too many blankets, right? I’ll overheat and die if you put all those on me.” The Doctor looked horrified, as if he’d considered doing exactly that.

“Well, I don’t know what it takes to keep humans warm. You’re all so fragile.” He said quietly, addressing the pile of blankets. Fitz grinned ruefully and shook his head, entering the room. The Doctor followed him in, trailing fabric.

“God, I’m tired,” Fitz moaned, flopping face-first onto the bed and closing his eyes, starting slightly when the Doctor dropped a blanket on him. “Don’t you dare use more than three,” he said warningly. Or tried to, at least- he was too tired to put real power into his words.

“I’m not!” The Doctor protested, laying another blanket down. Fitz made a noncommittal noise, drifting off slightly. He was feeling much better now, and this bed was so soft and warm…Dimly, he became aware of the Doctor’s presence, hovering over him. Fitz rolled over with a groan.

“What?”

“What?” The Doctor repeated, still hovering.

“You’re staring at me.”

“I am not.” He said evasively. Fitz sighed and buried his face in the pillow again. When it became clear the Doctor wasn’t going to leave, he raised his head.

“Did you want to stay?” The Doctor nodded hopefully, looking for all the world like a bashful schoolboy. Fitz shifted over, creating a space on the bed for him. The Doctor sat down almost immediately, pausing only to take his coat and cravat off first. Fitz watched him sleepily and the Doctor looked back at him, almost hesitantly. “You gonna lie down or what?” Fitz yawned, snuggling further under the blankets. He threw the edge over the Doctor, who laid down cautiously.

The Doctor’s skin was usually cold but he felt warm tonight, almost hot. Fitz curled up against him, enjoying the body heat. He was too tired to realize that what he was doing could be construed at cuddling, something he’d probably be very embarrassed about if he were fully awake. The Doctor put an arm around him and Fitz sighed contentedly, drifting off to sleep.

-

It was warm in the room. It was very pleasant, almost the perfect temperature (something the Doctor suspected the TARDIS had a hand in and thanked her), and it was still and dark and quiet. Fitz was fast asleep, his head resting on the Doctor’s chest. He was snoring softly, something the Doctor found very endearing. He shifted his arm slightly, drawing Fitz closer to him. He was feeling very protective of his companion at the moment. Possessive, even. He ran his hand through Fitz’s hair and Fitz mumbled sleepily, burying his face in the Doctor’s shoulder.

The Doctor smiled fondly, watching him sleep. It was nice to just lie in bed, sometimes, although the Doctor had to admit he was mostly here out of a paranoia that, as implausible as it might be, something would get into the TARDIS and take Fitz away from him. He knew it was unreasonable but he still wanted to be in physical contact with Fitz.

“I love you,” the Doctor said softly to the sleeping room. That much was true, although he wasn’t exactly sure what kind of love it was. Fitz mumbled again, something that sounded an awful lot like ‘you too’. The Doctor wondered if he’d imagined it.

Either way, it wasn’t important. Fitz was back where he belonged and, for the moment, he was safe, and that was all that mattered.


End file.
